Auburn University Shooting Suspect, Desmonte Leonard Wanted (DETAILS)

Alabama police are looking for Desmonte Leonard, 22, of Montgomery, as they believe he is the man responsible for opening fire at a pool party near Auburn University – killing three people and wounding three others. 

STORY: Football Players Amongst Those Dead In Shooting Near Auburn University

Leonard reportedly opened fire after getting into an argument over a girl. Two of the slain victims were former football players at Auburn University. He faces three counts of capital murder.

According to the Associated Press:

Auburn Police Chief Tommy Dawson said Leonard fled the scene in a white Chevrolet that he abandoned on the way back to Montgomery, about 55 miles away. They believed he was in the Montgomery area.

Of the three wounded victims, John Robertson remained in critical condition after being shot in the head. Xavier Moss was released from the hospital. The third wounded victim was Eric Mack, a current football player who is expected to recover.

Slain were Edward Christian, who had to quit the team because of a lingering back injury, and Ladarious Phillips, who had previously quit playing football. The other person killed was 20-year-old Demario Pitts.

Police emphasized that the shootings didn’t appear to have anything to do with some of the victims being former or current players on the football team, which won the national championship in 2010.

According to Dawson: 

“The only connection that the Auburn football team has to this is they are victims of a brutal shooting. Sometimes the young men get a bad rap, I feel like, but they are the victims today.” 

Dawson said he did not know why the party was being held or what started the fight.

Turquorius Vines, 23, said he was at the party Saturday evening at the University Heights apartments with one of his friends, Pitts. He said he and his friend were approached by two other men who started arguing with them over a woman.

Vines said he punched one of the men, while Pitts hit both of the men over the head with a bottle: 

“It’s like I lost a lung,” Vines said of losing his friend. “I don’t know how I’m going to survive this.”

Several emergency vehicles converged overnight around the University Heights apartment complex where many students live. The building was swathed in yellow police tape.

It appeared that the shooting happened in an archway near the apartment complex information center, near the edge of the parking lot.

Police are continuing their investigation into the shooting as they search for Desmonte Leonard.

SOURCE: AP